After All of These Years
by my-middle-name-is-awkward
Summary: Get real, Katniss Everdeen had never had a normal life, now has she? Well, she better brace herself, because it's about to get a whole lot weirder...Post Mockingjay, pre epilogue. AU kind of. Rated T to be safe
1. Chapter 1

After All of These Years

***I own nothing…but I'd gladly own Peeta :), but never Gale, can't stand him. Sorry Gale Lovers! I'm team Peeta all the way :P**

A Peacekeeper walked over to the dark prison cell and peered inside of it. A sneer crept up on his face as he saw the limp body cowering in the corner. The Peacekeeper placed his hands on the bars of the cell and shook violently, trying to wake the prisoner up. The prisoner raised his head and looked tiredly at the person awaking him.

The man recognized the Peacekeeper's uniform and scrambled to get up. He shuffled over to the bars and clasped onto them. "Are you here to let me go?"

The Peacekeeper let out a cruel laugh "No, I was sent here to give you good news"

"What's it about?" The prisoner asked softly, he knew he shouldn't get excited, this news could be the complete opposite of good. And he could tell that it was just by the sick smile playing on the Peacekeeper's face.

"Your family" The man's face paled

He rattled the bars anxiously "What happened? Are they okay?"

"Well… some of them" The look on the Peacekeeper's face made the man sick to his stomach

"What do you mean?"

"Your eldest daughter volunteered to be tribute for the 74th Hunger Games" The Peacekeeper sneered

"No" The man whispered, his eyes wide, his skin as white as a sheet. "Why did she volunteer?" His voice was quiet, but the Peacekeeper had no difficulty hearing him.

"It seems that first your youngest daughter was picked, and then she stepped in" The Peacekeeper let out a laugh. "How, pathetic!" He exclaimed as he stalked off, chuckling to himself.

The prisoner sunk to the floor, tears spilling out of his grey eyes. "Oh, Katniss, please don't die"


	2. Chapter 2

After All of These Years

***I own nothing…but I'd gladly own Peeta :), but never Gale, can't stand him. Sorry Gale Lovers! I'm team Peeta all the way :P**

Katniss' POV

_There I was, walking through the woods with my bow. It was just a normal hunting day, until I heard crunching leaves coming from behind me. I spin around and let out a sigh of relief when I see it's Rue. She smiles back and walks up to me. _

_We don't speak at all. We just stare at each other, trying to figure out what the other will say when words are finally spoken. But then she points up at a branch in a nearby tree. I follow her finger and grin as I see a Mockingjay. I glance at Rue and I see her giggle. She starts her four note song and I join her. _

_Then I hear a growl from behind me. _

_I feel myself freeze. I take in a shaky breath and then look behind me. I see a mutt like the ones in my first Hunger Games. My head whips to Rue, wanting to warn her, but I find this useless, she is now one of the mutts._

_I try to scream, but I can't find the voice. I know running is useless, but I run anyway. Maybe I can make it to a tree and climb it so they can't get me._

_So I dash off. I know they're hot on my trail so I pump my arms faster and pick up my speed. _

_I'm about to reach a tree but then I trip over a tree root. I try to pull myself up, but I feel the pain of a mutt's teeth sinking into my thigh. I cry out in pain and try to the mutt off, but that only angers him. He growls and soon the other mutts have joined him and they begin to bite and tear at my body._

_I scream in agony and I shut my eyes, hoping it will all be over soon. Hopefully someone will find me. Hopefully it will be Peeta. He'll know what to do._

"_PEETA!" I shout, but I find my voice is muffled by the blood flowing out of it. The mutt that Rue had became was clawing at my face and my mouth was filled with blood._

_I knew it was no use. I had to lay here and wait for my death to come. _

_But then I felt someone shaking me. The biting and the tearing ceased and I heard someone calling my name "Katniss! Katniss!"_

I awake with a start. I look around at my surroundings and I realize that I'm not in the woods, I'm in my room. I'm not lying on the forest floor getting mauled by mutts, I'm being held by Peeta who is whispering comforting words in my ear.

"Shh, Katniss, it's alright. I'm here" I didn't notice I was crying until I felt Peeta wiping away one of my salty tears.

I sobbed onto his shoulder for about an hour. That dream seemed so vivid. And it felt as though the mutts were actually tearing into my skin. People say you can't feel pain in a dream, but I would beg to differ.

I finally calmed down and I looked up at Peeta "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up"

Peeta smiles softly at me "Katniss, it's fine. I was just glad you finally woke up. You seemed really scared"

I grasp his hand firmly "It was one of the worst dreams I've had in a long time."

"Do you want to talk about it?" I shake my head quickly. I don't want to relive it.

I lay my head on Peeta's shoulder and look out the window. I see it is bright and I realize that it's morning.

"Well, it seems that it's a good thing you woke me up or I would have been late for work." Peeta kisses my forehead and reluctantly lets me go.

He gets ready and I simply just lay in bed, processing my dream. When he is finished, we head down to the kitchen and Peeta begins to make breakfast.

I sit and watch with a smile. He always looks so focused, not as focused as he is when he is working on art. Watching him actually makes me forget about my dream, until he asks me a question.

"So, are you going to go hunting today?" I pale and I look down at the table.

"N-no" Peeta notices my uneasiness and asks what's wrong "Nothing" I reply "I'm just too tired to go out to the woods today" I lied

Peeta knew I was lying, but he didn't question it. He did however, bring over breakfast and I grinned. He made cinnamon toast, one of my favorites, after cheese bread of course.

We sit down and eat and we stay in a silence until he gets up to leave. "I have to go, I'll see you tonight" I smile and he kisses me. I taste the cinnamon on his lips and it makes me smile.

"Okay, have fun at the bakery"

Yes, Peeta reopened his family's bakery. He loved working there. It made him think of his father, who had taught him everything he knows. His mother, however, was awful.

I feel bad for Peeta. He has no family left. At least I have my mother, but then again she's always busy in District 4, so I don't get a chance to talk to her a lot. But at least I have her.

I know she wishes to talk to me more often, but with her shifts at the hospital down there she doesn't have a lot of time. Plus, I'm pretty sure she would break down every time she talked to me. She misses Prim, we both do.

After I'm done with breakfast, I wash my dishes and then walk into the living room. I sight and start a fire, wanting to feel warmth. I lay on the couch after the fire started to dance, and I just stare at it, trying not to think of the dream.

I look at the mantel over the fireplace and notice all of the mail for Peeta and me. I sigh and get up and walk over to it. I thumb through some of the letters, searching for one that won't make me too sad, and also make me forget about the dream.

I'm half way through the stack and notice one from Paylor, the new president. I try to smile, but I feel it's too forced. I pick up the letter and study it. It was sent about 2 weeks ago. Hopefully it wasn't important.

I open the envelope and slowly unfold the letter, hoping it's not upsetting. My eyes scan over the letter and I sigh in relief as I realize none of it's that bad.

_Dear Katniss_

_How are you? I haven't talked to you in 2 years is it? Well, I hope you are well. I know we were never friends, but I feel as though I owe you. Without you, I would've never become the President. Sure it seemed as though I liked Coin, but truth be told, I couldn't stand the woman._

_I bet you are wondering why I am writing a letter to you. Well, I just thought you should be told that there were many captive people living in cells in the Capital. We let them all go, and if any had bad injuries, they were allowed to go to the hospital._

_You may even wonder why I am telling you this. Well, let's just say you'll find out in a couple weeks…_

_Sincerely,_

_President Paylor_

What is that supposed to mean?


	3. Chapter 3

After All of These Years

***I own nothing…but I'd gladly own Peeta :), but never Gale, can't stand him. Sorry Gale Lovers! I'm team Peeta all the way :P I names Katniss' mother Adela, she was never given a name, so I googled unique names sense all of the names in the Hunger Games are unique**

Mr. Everdeen's POV

I looked out the window and saw the trees rushing by. I sighed and lean against the wall.

I'm currently on a train that is heading back to District 12. Apparently a lot has happened, and Snow isn't the president anymore. A woman named Paylor has taken his place.

Anyway, her guards found all of the captives and they let us all go. Me along with some of my fellow miners were sent to the hospital so they could tend to our wounds we had gotten when we were beaten. Then they put us on a train and dropped us off in the Districts we belonged in.

Not many of the miners they captured made it out alive; they either died of hunger or being beaten to death. I'm not quite sure why they continued to feed me, I don't know why I'm so special, well I didn't until I talked to the new president.

President Paylor explained that Katniss had made it out of the Hunger Games and she started a rebellion. Oh, Katniss, she could never do anything exactly right, now could she? But, the war has ended and Snow was dead, and so were the Peacekeepers.

President Paylor then told me that after I was well enough I would be on a train back to 12. Apparently, not many people were there because the Capital bombed it, but they were trying to rebuild as much as they could. But Paylor said that Katniss was there, and that was all that matters.

So, here I was, sitting on a train, racing toward District 4, we were dropping off people, District by District. It was quite exciting seeing people reunited with their families. Only some families were warned about the return, other captives wanted it to be a surprise, like me.

About mid-afternoon we slowed to a stop and I realized we were in Four. I sigh as I look out the window, I cannot wait until I reach Twelve. I lean my head against the glass of the window and watch families hug. I cannot wait to see Katniss.

I stay in this position for about 10 minutes. It's enough time for every person that belongs to 4 to gather their things and get off of the train and find their families. I sigh, it will be at least another day.

I hear a knock on the door to my room on the train. I know, it's weird we all get rooms but apparently this was the train that tributes would take to get the Hunger Games. We are currently on the one that Katniss took. I know this because Paylor made sure I had this room.

I tell whoever it is to come in, and continue to stare out the window. I smile as I see a little girl and a father reunited. I wish I could've been there to see Katniss and Prim grow up. But no, they were fooled. They thought their father was dead, but yet here I am.

I hear the door open then close swiftly. I only look up when I hear a voice. _Her_ voice. "Timothy?"

I spin around and I see my beautiful wife leaning against the door. "Adela!" I exclaim and race over to her, embracing her tightly.

"Oh, Timothy, I missed you so much!" Adela sobs onto my shoulder.

"I missed you too"

We stayed in silence for a while until I led her over to the bed. We sat and held each other, explaining what has happened over the years. I explained that I was kept in a cell the whole time and she explained that Katniss was in the Hunger Games not once but twice. She was also in the Quarter Quell.

"Oh, Timothy, she only survived because you taught her how to hunt!"

"She was a natural. I bet she still is." I smile down at her and kiss her forehead "So, how's Prim? Is she living with Katniss?"

Adela went stiff and I felt tears leak onto my shirt "I wish she was"

"What do you mean, Addy?"

"She's dead, Timothy" She sobbed "She died during the war"

"W-what? How?"

"She was trying to help injured children and they dropped bombs" Adela clung to me and I knew this was the reason why she had not gone back to District 12. She couldn't bear the memories.

We didn't say a word until the next morning. We eventually fell asleep knowing we had each other. But I didn't fall asleep until about an hour or two after Adela. I couldn't stop the images of watching Prim die go over in my head. I finally fell asleep knowing that I still had Katniss.

/

We slept until afternoon the next day. And once we awake, we started talking about what I had missed again. I figured out that Katniss had befriended Gale Hawthorne, whose dad was killed in the mining accident, and then she lost touch with him because of the Hunger Games, but they connected in District 13, which had been hiding underground for all of this time. But apparently she stopped talking to him again because apparently one of his bombs was the one that killed Prim.

I also figured out that she and the male tribute from Twelve, Peeta Mellark, whose family owned the bakery, both made it out alive and they are now engaged.

Then Adela told me about Katniss hunting all of their meat and selling the plants and berries to the people in District 12 for money. "Katniss pretty much took care of everything, including Prim and me." I gave her a look "After I thought you died, I just…lost it. I just lay in bed all day, only getting up to help patients. I didn't mother Prim or Katniss, so Katniss stepped up." Adela sighed "I'm sorry, Tim, I really am. I just couldn't stand you being gone"

I wrapped her in a hug "It's fine, darling, I'm here now"

And then, we slowed to a stop, we were now in District 12.


	4. Chapter 4

After All of These Years

***I own nothing…but I'd gladly own Peeta :), but never Gale, can't stand him. Sorry Gale Lovers! I'm team Peeta all the way :P I names Katniss' mother Adela, she was never given a name, so I googled unique names sense all of the names in the Hunger Games are unique**

Katniss' POV

My eyes flutter open and I realize that I fell asleep on the couch. I look at the clock about the fireplace and sit upright quickly. It's already 4:30! I must've been really tired! But then again, my night's sleep consisted of a pack of mutts tearing my flesh off…I think Peeta would be glad I got more sleep.

I stretched and got up off the couch. I was then forced into the kitchen by my growling stomach. I picked up a piece of leftover bread from this morning and I eat it quickly.

I still have a half hour before Peeta comes home. Maybe I should check on Haymitch. Kind of weird that Haymitch was the one who was supposed to be looking after me, but I find myself looking over him…he's such a child.

I finish my bread and then walk to the front door. I slip on my shoes and then walk out of the house, shutting the door behind me. I walk across the grass to Haymitch's house. I walk the front steps and knock on the door. There's no answer and I roll my eyes and push the door open.

I look around at the mess and my nose crinkles up in disgust. How can Haymitch live like this? It smells of liquor and moldy food and it makes my stomach churn. I take a step and I find that bottles are strewn all over the floor. Oh Haymitch.

I find him passed out at his kitchen table. I smirk and walk over to the cabinet and find a water glass. I fill it up with cold water and make my way over to Haymitch. I pour the water on his head and he jumps up, only to fall back to his seat, probably because his head was spinning.

He looks up and glares "Of course it's you"

"Nice to see you too" I retort

"How's everything?"

"Fine, and you?"

"Fine" We stare at each other in a strong silence until he breaks it. "How's Peeta?"

"He's good. He's at the bakery today" Haymitch lays his head on the table and sighs. I walk over and look at his sink "Hey, Haymitch!" I call "When was the last time you washed your-" I hear a slight snore and turn around. Haymitch is passed out again.

I reach for the cup that was once filled with water, but put my hand back at my side. It's not like I want to talk to him, so why wake him up again? I checked on him, my job's done.

I make my way silently over to the front door and let myself out. I shut the door and sigh as I make my way back to my house in Victor's Village.

I open the door and shut it softly. I then slip off my shoes and place them by the door, I know that my mother would have a fit if she realized that I wasn't keeping the house clean. Oh, Mother.

I run my hand through my hair as I make my way to the living room. I hope the fire is still going, it was quite chilly outside. So, I intended on snuggling up with a blanket on the couch to wait for Peeta to come home.

I stop in my tracks as I see someone already on the couch. My eyes widened as I see who it was. "Mother?"

She spins around and smiles at me. "Katniss, dear! How are you?" She jumps up and wraps me in a hug.

"Fine, how have you been?"

"Great!"

I raise an eyebrow. She hasn't been this happy since Dad was still alive. What's going on?

"Why are you so happy?"

"The best thing happened today!"

"Really? Did it have to do with the hospital?" I question and she shakes her head "Then what?"

Mother grins and then turns toward the kitchen "You can come out, now"

What? Who's with her? I turn toward the entrance to the kitchen and a figure looms in the doorway. My eyes focus in on the face and my eyes widen "Dad?"

"Katniss" He breaths. I feel tears sting my eyes and I face my mother again "How did this-"

"He was never dead. He was taken captive by the Capital before the mining accident"

I feel a smile fall onto my face and I race toward my father and he embraces me. "I missed you so much" I whisper

"I missed you too, Kat" I clung to him, afraid that if I let go, that he would disappear "I'm so proud of you"

I pull away and raise an eyebrow "Why?"

He let out a laugh "What do you mean, why? I've always been proud of you, darling, but once I figured out what happened to you, I was even more proud."

"Did Mom tell you?"

"Well, she filled me in. A Peacekeeper came to my cell in the Capital and told me that my eldest daughter had volunteered as tribute for the Hunger Games. I wondered why you would do such a thing, but then the Peacekeeper said my youngest daughter was selected first"

I feel the tears spill from my eyes and I hug him tighter. "I couldn't watch her die…but yet I did" I pulled away from him and looked up into his eyes

"What?"

"Dad, Prim's dead" I whimper

"I know, your mother told me, but what do you mean?"

"I was there when the bombs dropped and killed her. I watched it happen"

"Oh, Katniss" He pulls me back into his arms and I sob onto his shoulder. "I'm sorry"

I sniffed and forced a smile. I opened my mouth to say something but I clamped it shut when I heard the front door squeak open. "That's Peeta" I smile and walk over to the front door. I see Peeta taking his shoes off and placing them near the door. I smirk and sneak up on him from behind. I wrap my arms around his waist and he tenses up but then relaxes when he realizes it's me.

Peeta turns around and wraps around my waist while mine make my way up to his neck. I press my lips firmly against his and then pull back with a smile.

"Hello, Katniss, how was your day?"

"Great" I grin and he raises an eyebrow

"Really? What'd you do?"

"You'll see" I smile "How was your day?"

"Fine" He still looks confused so I take his hand and drag him into the living room. He spots my mother first, since my father has apparently disappeared into the kitchen. "Oh, hello Mrs. Everdeen. I didn't realize you were visiting"

"Hello, Peeta" Mother smiles

"Mother came here with another visitor"

"What do you mean?"

My dad takes this as a cue to come out from the kitchen. "Peeta, this is my father"


End file.
